Improvement in blind-shutter fastening



@avert weer @am @motief fir OSCAR PADDOYCK, or WATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

Lette/rs Patent No. 82,980, dated October 13, 1868. t

To whom it may concern:

I for operating the blind-slats.

My invention relates to devices for opening and closing the slatsv ofVenetian and other blinds, and its object is to produce a device ormechanism ofthis nature, which will hold the slats at any desired angle,so as to either wholly or partially close them, and which, at the sametime, may be operated either with or Without raising the window-sash. Tothis end, my invention, in the main, consists in the combination, with atoothed segment, attached to one of the blindslats, (which are connectedtogether in the usual manner,) of an endless screw, mounted in bearingsformed in the blind-frame, and engaging with the toothed segment in suchmanner that, when revolved, it shall cause the partial rotation of thesegment, and, consequently, ofthe slats, with which the latter isconnected. By turning, therefore, the screw, the slats may be more orless opened `or closed, as circumstances require, .while the combinationof the parts is such that the screw will securely hold the segment andslats in any desired position without the employment of any additionalfastening-device.

My invention further consists in the combination, with the toothedsegment and the endless screw, applied to the window-blind, asdescribed, of a device, such as hereinafter specified, applied to thewindow-sash, for the 'purpose of operating the endless screw withoutrendering it necessary to open the window. This device must, of course,be so constructed and arranged as to engage with the Slat-operatingmechanism only when occasion demands, being, at other times, held awayfrom the said mechanism, in order to allow the window-sash to be raisedor lowered. To this end, I employ a plunger or rod, which passes throughand slides1in bearings formed in the Window-sash, and has formed on oneof its ends a bar or finger, which, while adapted to engage withsuitable stops or projections on the head or handle of the endlessscrew,'is held away from it by a spring, which causes the retraction ofthe plunger.

When it is desired to operate the endless screw, the operator pressesupon the head of the sliding rod7 `so as to overcome the resistance ofthe spring, and

push the rod forward until the finger on its ends engages with the stopson the head of the endless screw. As soon as this has been accomplished,the

operator, still maintaining the forward pressure, at the same timerevolves the plunger in its bearing, causing a corresponding revolutionof the endless screw, and the consequent movement of the blind-slats.

It will be seen that a device of this -kind is of considerable utility,for the blind-slats may be opened or closed without opening the window,thus avoiding any exposure of the person in cold or rainy weather.

To enablethose skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, Iwill now proceed to more particularly describe the manner in which thesame is or may drawings.

needed to illustrate my invention.

The journals of the slats A are mounted in' the shutter or blind-frame Bin any ordinary or suitable manner, and the slats themselves areconnected together, as usual, by the connecting-wire or stick C.

Upon one side, and near one end of the slats A, is mounted a toothedsegment, a, resembling the segment of a crown-wheel, the teeth beingturned towards the neighboring jamb of the frame B. The segment isattached to the slat`by means of screws, which pass through ears formedon 4the segment, and into the Slat, as-shown in fig. l.

Adjoining the segment, a recess or mortise is formed in the frame B, forthe reception of an endless screw, b, which revolves in a bearing-plate,c, attached to the blind-frame. The screw is in such position that itsthread engages with the teeth of the segment, as seen in the figurereferred to, so that, when revolved, it causes the se ment a to turn inthe direction desired, and thus partially or wholly open or close theslats A. Upon the head of the screw is a knob or handle, d, by

screw.

When the slats have been set at the required angle by means of thescrew, they will be retained firmly and securely in such position by thesame means as the teeth of the segment a are held by the thread of thescrew, which remains stationary, unless moved by hand. It will be'seen,therefore, that, by the combination and arrangement of, these simpledevices, the slats can be adjusted and held in any desired position.

When, however, the devices above named are alone employed, it isnecessary to open the window in order to get access to the knob d, andthis, in cold 'or rainy weather,may be both inconvenient and unpleasantto do. I have, therefore, devised a means`for operating the screw bwithout involving the necessity of raising the window-sash D. The deviceby which this result is accomplished is represented in detail in g. 2.

It consists of a rod or plunger, h, supported in ,a tubular case, k, inwhich it is capable of both a longitudinal and rotary moyement. It issurrounded by a spiral spring, fi, or its equivalent, alsocontained'within be carried into effect by reference to the accompanyingIn g. l, so much only of a window is shown as is means of which theoperator is enabled to move the the tubular case, which bears at one endagainst the bottom of the case, and at the other against a shoulder orflange, j, on the front end of the rod Il., and thus holds the flangeagainst the head, l, of the case.

Upon the end or head of the rod h, which projects from the face l, is aknob or handle, 7n, and to its opposite end, which also projects oin thecase, is attached a finger or follower, n. V This follower may besecured directly to the rod h, but I prefer to attach it to a A secondrod, p, inserted in the rod h, (which, for this purpose, is madehol1ow,) and held in position by means of a setescrew, o, the objectbeing to make the rod 11 adjustable, so that it may be drawn out from orpushed back into the hollow plunger h, according `to the distance whichintervenes between the sash D and blind B. I prefer also to hinge orpivot the follower n to the rod p, so that it may bear equally at allpoints against the knob d of the endless screw.

This device is set in a mortise formed in the window- Sash, as shown iniig. l, so that the follower n will be opposite to the knob of the screwl1 on the windowblind, when the said blind is closed, in which positionthe device is held by means of screws passing through the face-plate linto the sash. The rod p is then drawn `out or pushed back in theplunger h, so that its follower n will be slightly removed from the knobd, when the plunger is held back, in the case, as shown in fig. 2, thusallowing the window-sash to be raised or lowered Without causing theinterference of the knob and follower.

ing the forward pressure, then revolves the plunger,

thus causing the rotation of the follower n, which bears against thestops s, and thus causes a like movement of the endless screw b. rI helatter, through the segment a, effects the movement of the slats, whichcan thus be readily set at any angle.

When the slats have been opened or closed to the desired extent, theoperator Vremoves his hand from the knob m., the spring 'i throws backthe plunger h, and the follower a is disengaged from the endless screw.

The device above described, consisting of the plunger h, with itsappurtenances, may be employed in connect tion with any other suitablemeans for operating the slats, instead of with the endless screw, and,as hereinbefore indicated, its construction may be varied.

Having now described my invention, and the manner in which the same isor may be carried into effect,

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

I. A device for opening or closing and fastening blind-slats, composedof the herein-described toothed segment, and endless screw for operatingthe same, the said parts being applied to the blind-slats and shutter orblind-frame,respectively, and combined for operation in the manner shownand specified.

2. The combination, with the hollow plunger, or sliding rod andset-screw, or equivalent device, upon the same, of an auxiliaryadjustable rod, supported in said plunger, and provided with a follower,for engaging with the blind-Slat fastener, substantially as described,for the pinposes shown and specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification beforetwo subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR PADDOOK.

Witnesses:

BENJ. R. Mares, G. L. WOODRUFF.

